CHARSADDA: Traders’ community held a protest demonstration here on Sunday against excessive electricity loadshedding.

The protest call was given by Traders Federation Charsadda. A large number of traders and civil society members participated in the protest rally held at the Farooq-i-Azam Chowk. They warned to prolong their protest movement if electricity outages were not stopped.

The federation’s president Lal Mohammad Lal led the protest.

On the occasion, Mr Lal, the body’s general secretary Mian Rahim Badshah, Haji Siddiqullah, Amdadullah, Bashir Khan and others condemned the excessive loadshedding in Charsadda Tehsil Bazaar.

They said excessive loadshedding was an ‘economic murder’ of the business community. They said business community was paying huge commercial electricity bills, but even then they were subjected to inhuman loadshedding.

The traders’ leaders demanded a separate feeder for Tehsil Bazaar Charsadda.

They also warned the tehsil municipal administration against disrespecting traders during the so-called anti-encroachment operations.

Separately, shopkeepers of the Old Bazaar staged a demonstration against faulty drainage system.

The shopkeepers said they had approached the relevant officials to repair the drainage system, but to no avail.

Jamaat-i-Islami, Charsadda chapter also demanded of the district government to rehabilitate the drainage system.

It said due to blocked drains, sewage flowed onto the roads and streets, causing problems to the traders and shoppers. The Jamaat said stagnant waster was causing different diseases, including dengue.

FUNFAIR: A colourful funfair was organised at a private school here.

Assistant commissioner, Charsadda, Alveena Faiz was the chief guest at the event held at the girls’ branch of Peshawar Model School. District education officer Soraya Begum was the chief guest at the function held in the boys’ branch.

Stalls of various traditional delicacies, including Chapli Kebab, and other items were set up.

On the occasion, children presented tableaus and traditional dances. A magic show was a highlight of the funfair, where children enjoyed riding on the Shahi Bhagi.

School principal Nusrat Nazir was also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2022